RELIGIOUS SITES AS TOURISM ATTRACTIONS IN EUROPE

Europe's religious tourism system is described with emphasis on the fulfillment of the expectations of visitors ranging from devout pilgrims to secular tourists at three types of attractions. These are pilgrimage shrines with strong emphasis on religious devotions, but with few characteristics to attract secular tourists; shrines that function as devotional centers and religious tourism attractions because of various combinations of historical, artistic, and scenic site characteristics; and places where religious festivals are the principal attractions. Problems related to conflicting interests of pilgrims and tourists are discussed along with some examples of management strategies designed to minimize these conflicts.